


Cryptograms

by Ink_Shadow



Category: Sherlock Holmes (Downey films)
Genre: Codes & Ciphers, Cryptography, Gen, Riddles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29822193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Shadow/pseuds/Ink_Shadow
Summary: Holmes receives an anonymous encoded message gifted in good faith.
Kudos: 1





	1. The First Leaf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd write this after solving three cryptoquips in a row. I was trying to refresh my mind for my Cataclysm story and this came about instead.
> 
> I don't know how often this will be updated, or if I'll even work up the energy to see it through to completion, but I'll do my level best.
> 
> The story takes place before the good Doctor comes to stay with the Detective Consultant.
> 
> Answers will be at the top of the following chapter, or at the end of the same chapter.

* * *

  


_Qyvvw, aqygy!_

_Qyngo mwc ngy n aghevy dwgyo._

_Snmdy aqhz fhvv qyvt zanjy wee aqy ayohcs; qwfyjyg zqwga._

_Yblwm, Eghybo!_

  


* * *

  


When Holmes first found the scrap of parchment tucked under the door, he was excited at the prospect of a possible case. And one penned in such a quizzically unique way, too!

A quick examination of the paper proved an interesting oddity to say the least.

The note smells of ash, rose, and blackberries, and feels a smidge thicker than anything normally purchased here in London. The greenish colour is further confirmation that the scrap is composed of vines from a bramble bush—as well as the lack of a grassy scent. The watermark imprinted in the top center of the parchment looks akin to a column. Two right–angle brackets back–facing one another with a block curl at both ends. Three horizontal lines cross the middle of the brackets. Nowhere in all of England has Holmes ever seen that particular crest before.

The quality of the sheet isn't of a professional grade, but certainly wasn't crafted by a mere amateur either. The fibers are well diced and quite evenly matted. Whoever manufactured this leaf has an understanding of the art of paper–making. A hobby perhaps? One hundred fifty by two hundred twenty millimeters. The page is too big to fit into a pocket without folding first, making the transportation of the letter conspicuous and quite obviously hand–delivered.

The ink smells faintly of walnuts and spirits. Vodka, most likely, as that is the common additive used in inks. However, this solution is darker in pigment than it should be if only husks were used. A touch of lampblack could fix that. Not the kind of writing fluid the commonfolk of London would apply in script.

The penmanship is exquisite. Formal. The author took their time in composing this riddle. The flourishes are smooth. The characters even. And the ruling straight. The odds of someone of upper class writing this mystery seem feasible, yet the nature of the paper and ink make that claim less so.

Holmes focused on the code itself.

The repetition of words appears systematic. The Atbash cipher would be a great place to start. All he needs is to find which characters are utilized most frequently to find the medium.

Twenty words. Ninety letters. Sixteen Y's. One L, and one T. The average is two matching characters, and words three, four, and five figures long.

Holmes moved to grab up a spare paper and a pen, then settled himself in his armchair. He turned his complete attention to decoding the cryptogram.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing about the little details is _hard._ I also didn't think I could manage that much for just a piece of paper and some ink. Trying to pen an intellectual-based viewpoint isn't easy with my limited abilities, but that's not gonna stop me from trying.
> 
> I don't know how well the little things are going to add up, but It'll fun typing it none-the-less!
> 
> *Edit: Changed the size of the paper.


	2. A Suspicious Reason

* * *

  


_Hello, there!_

_Heard you are a trifle bored._

_Maybe this will help stave off the tedium; however short._

_Enjoy, Friend!_  


  


* * *

  


For a brief moment, Holmes merely stared.

Who in the world would care if he was bored? And why would they care? Let alone send him anything to exercise his mind? So far, everyone Holmes has met has treated him with the same disdain they would bestow an uninvited pest. Some had even gotten a might physical in their displeasure of his deductive reasoning. Not that Holmes was wrong, no; they simply did not want to hear the truth he so clearly saw voiced back to them.

So who could have possibly sent this? Why? What do they hope to gain from this? Do they even have a motive? Or do they really mean what it appears to mean—a way to occupy his rogue thoughts and temporarily forget about the dullness of a bland day?

No, that doesn't seem a likely scenario.

People always have a motive. A hidden agenda even. There must be a reason for delivering an encoded message. Such random acts have never been made in good faith. Not for Holmes anyhow. And people simple don't address him as 'Friend' either.

Holmes cut a swatch from the sheet for further analysis. He brought it into the bedroom where he kept his chemistry set displayed on the far table. He wasted no time in running a series of tests on the sample.


	3. After An Infuriating Night

* * *

  


_Rbkkz, wqwhd!_

_Ewt azp wo orb Awuv. Orzpqro azp nzpkv peb orhe erzuo uzszuwdo._

_Ubjzyb 'A' wdv azp vz orhe thor wccwubk. Ubjzyb 'B' wdv H wj nwpohzpe._

_Bdfza, Iuhbdv!_  


  


* * *

  


Holmes just arrived back at 221B Baker Street after an aggravating night at Scotland Yard.

Not only had Lestrade and his men failed to notice the most vital clue that lead right to the culprit of the double–homicide, but the louse had arrested him as well! Honestly! Had it not been for Holmes' uncanny observations, that dimwitted fool would be cleaning up another body and the murderer still roaming free.

Holmes bounded up the staircase intent on unwinding from the previous nights' exhausting events. His gait slowed as his eyes caught sight of a paper half–under the door to his quarters. One of identical greenish colour to that of the page he had received two weeks prior.

Holmes snatched it from its spot afore heading inside.

His analysis of the swatch taken from the first leaf had yielded its results. Ashes from a walnut tree. The same kind of tree as the husks used for the ink. Freshwater from a source with a high purity content—and absent of fish. Rose petals (Belle de Crecy, an excellent choice) had been mixed with the water for a more pleasant smell. The pH factor of the bramble vines have an unusually high acidic content. American? Mrs. Hudson's bouquet imported from America had a higher acidic level as well.

One hundred fifty by two hundred twenty millimeters. Identical in size to the previous one and uncreased as well. The penmanship precise as before: distinguished, fluid, level. It also sports the same crest as before.

The cipher appears to be the same: Atbash. The key may be different, but the note begins and ends similarly to the first. If even a single word correlates with the previous cryptograph, then solving this one shall be even less of a challenge.

Not much fun in that. However, it should at least steer his attention away from the Inspectors' incompetence for a spell.

Thirty words. One hundred twenty-two letters. The sequence 'azp' is repeated three times with 'orhe' and 'wdv' replicated twice. And three single characters.

Holmes dropped into the chair by the fireplace and started on the decryption.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Edit: Changed the size of the paper.


	4. A Riddle Within The Code

* * *

  


_Hello, again!_

_Saw you at the Yard. Thought you could use this short roborant._

_Remove 'Y' and you do this with apparel. Remove 'E' and I am cautious._

_Enjoy, Friend!_

  


* * *

  


So, they saw him at Scotland Yard last night.

Holmes reclines in his seat and ponders the possibilities…

Was it someone in the Yard with him? Or perhaps one of the constables? Could it have been someone passing by? Are they spying on him? Holmes has plenty of enemies. This could be a rather clever ploy to force him to lower his guard. But who could it be? There is still the matter of why. What is their motive?

Holmes studies the leaf again. More specifically, the riddle.

_Remove 'Y' and you do this with apparel. Remove 'E' and I am cautious._

Obviously the answer contains the letters 'E' and 'Y', and means two different things with the adjustment of the spelling.

Holmes closed his eyes and let his mind work. He ran the algorithm through his head, mentally listing every word he knows that contains at least one 'E' and one 'Y'. Then, by removing one of the two characters to form one of the meanings and checking for the other definition using the same method, Holmes reached his answer.

Holmes tore a piece off the parchment he used to decrypt the cipher and wrote his answer— _W-E-A-R-Y_ —upon it. He then sprung up from his seat and slipped his response under the door.


	5. A Reply

* * *

  


_Bza! Bmj dqz ljfyz qfpvy, Hqfzrx!_

_Vmn dkmjy yvfa mrz?_

_C emcioqyalum, azy qyalumk cio azy ocgelaumk zuia klyvvrie ayeualum cio uxumsyiu pygela yiu vgmku ucjl. Lyz qcis vgmkuk oro alus pmrie lyqu cbb ayeualum?_

  


* * *

  


Holmes had informed Mrs. Hudson not to disturb the note he had placed beneath the door several days prior. He expected it to be encrypted, as the previous ones were. He did feel a bit annoyed at the fact the cipher came when he was out, however. Yet, with the disappearance of his answer, Holmes hopes that he has established a form of communication with this mysterious cryptographer.

Holmes snatched the paper from its place on the floor and quickly crossed the room to settle in the armchair. He took up a pen and a blank sheet of parchment and focused on the letter.

His lips twitched up into a brief smile at the slight difference he perceived almost immediately. Seems his quarry is stepping up their game. The monoalphabetic substitution is still used. This won't take long.

There are two words with a double–letter grouping, and the collection of characters, 'alum' appears three times. Five more words than last time. They're slowly yet steadily expanding their play.

Holmes started writing, hoping for another riddle with this one as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels like these chapters are just shrinking and shrinking.
> 
> But, three whole chapters today! Whoo! Two for Cataclysm and one more for Sherlock!
> 
> That's quite a lot of typing for me.


End file.
